Daijiworld News Network
From Our Special Correspondent - Panaji
Panaji, Feb 18: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) today unveiled short and long term plans for Goa airport including introduction of newer facilities and reworking on the existing systems to shed away a reputation of being a congested facility.
The AAI officials have projected an investment of Rs 500 crore that would be rolled out over the next three years on this Portuguese-era facility which was shifted to the new terminal building in 2013.
“While short term measures would be in place within two-three months, the long term would be executed in three years,” AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra told reporters in Vasco.
The AAI will be creating new facilities for the aircrafts, passengers and staff working on this airport which is located in Indian Navy’s INS Hansa base near Vasco town.
Mohapatra said Goa airport has been listed as one of the top six facilities by AAI, which has been taken out of the control of its regional office, bringing it directly under headquarters along with facilities at Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmadabad and Jaipur.
The AAI chairman conceded that due to the absence of a parallel taxi track, the facility was facing abundant constraints in handling the flights as the time consumed in landing and taxing was prolonged.
He said that distinctive changes at the airport would be visible by the end of 2017 after the implementation of short term measures.
Mohapatra said the parallel taxi track will be constructed within one and a half years by demolishing the old airport terminal building, which has been left unused after the new one is put in operation.
In the list of amenities, the AAI has also planned three more aerobridges, construction of new toilets, installation of escalators and creating more space area for the passengers, he said. “You will be able to see distinct improvements once these facilities are in place.”
Mohapatra stated that currently 80 aircrafts land and take-off from the airport daily which includes international arrivals. “The airport handles close to six million passengers annually and the footfalls will grow in the years to come,” he said.
He admitted that Goa airport has some time constraints as it is also a naval facility. “The slot between 12.30-3.30 pm handles 60 per cent of the flights. I have spoken to the airport director and told him to maintain discipline within the airlines community by having consultations with them,” he said.
Mohapatra said the current runway can handle 40-50 per cent more flights once facilities are installed at the airport.
He also allayed fears that Goa facility which is also known as Dabolim airport will be discontinued once the international facility at Mopa is in place. “Goa is an important tourist destination so even when Mopa airport is in place, Dabolim will continue. Mopa is for north and Dabolim for south Goa. Both have unique advantages, disadvantages, limitations and constraints. I do not have any conflict in between,” Mohapatra said.